1. How to Make Freezer Blocking Work for You - Freezer
Boxes
_____________________________________________________________________________________
By David - http://alkalisci.com/2-cardboard-freezer-boxes.html
With the fall weather upon us this is the time when people are starting to put away the excess bounty of their garden.
Vegetables that have not already been consumed need to be stored for use throughout the winter months.Once you
have bottled and/or packaged your vegetables they will have to be stored in a cold environment that is below their
freezing point and at a low humidity level. A cold environment slows down the natural deterioration of vegetable
matter that occurs. Most vegetables that are placed into a cold environment will go into a type of dormant state.
Click Here
Obviously a cold storage room is the most economical method. It uses the winter temperatures to keep foods cold.
Unfortunately its downside is that the temperature cannot be regulated. If the outside temperature changes so does
the temperature inside the cold storage room. Also few modern homes have a cold storage room. It is considered
unnecessary in today's fast paced society.
For those without the basement cold storage room an alternative is the household freezer. Many people use a small
chest freezer for this purpose. Chest freezers seem to be the answer for many gardeners. An upright freezer will also
work but they are not as efficient (or as cold) as the chest variety. Also the small chest freezer is generally less
expensive than an upright of the same size.
2. But if you invest in a freezer is it not economical to operate if only partially full. Freezer blocking is a possible answer
for this problem.Basically freezer blocking is filling up the unused space inside the freezer. The theory is ... the less
air inside the freezer the less electricity will be required to freeze the food. Anything that lowers the internal volume of
the freezer will cause the compressor to spend less time keeping the interior cold. It would be equivalent to having a
smaller freezer.
To do this cardboard boxes called "blockers" are placed inside the freezer. These boxes are filled with insulation. Any
form of insulation will work, but basic household wall insulation (fibreglass) is most commonly used. It is both
inexpensive and easily obtained. An alternative are the insulating peanuts used for shipping and packaging. Others
suggest filling the boxes with old newspapers. This would work but the insulation value would be far less than the
fibreglass method. Also the newspaper would pick up moisture and become extremely heavy to lift.Whatever is used
the boxes should be completely filled, and then sealed and taped shut. You do not want insulation mixing openly with
food products. Also boxes of varied sizes work best because they allow you to fill up the open spaces better.
If the freezer is only half full then place the boxes either at the bottom of the freezer or all to one side. This way you
have easier access to the food during the winter. Placing the boxes on top will be frustrating because you will have to
remove them every time you want to get to the food.
So… What’s Next ?
To learn more about Freezer Boxes, Click Here: http://alkalisci.com/2-cardboard-freezerboxes.html